Kushina Kawahiru
|textColour=white|My duty as a member of the Royal Guard is to protect the . Calling me to help with affairs in Soul Society is no longer in my job description.|Kushina to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.}} ) | birthday = May 28 | age = 1500+ | gender = Female | height = 5'9" (180 cm) | weight = 168 lbs (76 kg) | eyes = Blue | hair = Golden | blood type = O | unusual features = Scar | affiliation = Soul King Palace | previous affiliation = Soul Society | profession = President of Shinigami Women's Association | previous profession = Captain of the | previous division = | division = | team = | previous team = Kawahiru Siblings Sōzōshin Rampant Forces | partner = Akuyo Namikaze | previous partner = | base of operations = Soul King Palace | marital status = Married | relatives = (Father) Seireitou Kawahiru (Brother) Saori Sumeragi (Sister) Shunsui Kyōraku (Husband) Candice Catnipp (Daughter) Shingi Kawahiru (Son) Tsukimaru Tokugawa (Son) | education = Unknown | status = Alive | shikai = Amaterasu | bankai = Shinsei Amaterasu |roleplay debut = Havoc in the Development Lab | english = | japanese = }} Kushina Kinkaku Kawahiru no Ichijo (河昼 一女 金角 クシナ, Kawahiru no Ichijo Kinkaku Kushina) is a female Sōzōshin as well as the second Kenpachi, receiving the title directly from Retsu Unohana. Kushina possess distinct demon linage — . She is one of the four offspring of Tsuyuri Kawahiru, making her the daughter of . Kushina is the full-blooded sister to Kamui Kawahiru, Seireitou Kawahiru, and Yukina Kawahiru. As the daughter of the Soul King, Kushina is the half sister of Astraia, Micythos, and . Her first major event to ever participate in was the Great Race Civil War; which was a battle between the Hitorigami and Sōzōshin races. Kushina played a major role in the war striking down Father which had a heavy impact on the win of the war. Kushina was one of the original Captains of the leading and commanding the alongside Seireitou who led the Eighth. During the Great Race Civil War, Kushina earned the title Kinkaku (金角, Kinkaku, Literally meaning; "Golden Horn"). This is referring to her golden hair as well as the horns that sprout from her forehead at the full releasing of her powers. Sometime during her captaincy she fought against and placed him in the . Before leaving her position as Captain of the Twelfth Division, the First Soul Society War had taken place. Lady Kushina led the rampant forces during the war with the objective of destroying the enemy territory cutting down their shelter as well as food sources. Shortly after the war Kushina retired as captain and later on was offered a position as member of the Royal Guard. Kushina holds the title as the God of Creation (みかど, Mikado; Viz "The Creator") and is called this name by all of the other Zero Division members. The Creator's ability is the sole ability of being able to create everything that has already been created by the other Royal Guard members as well as her own things. Kushina sealed over seventy five percent of her powers in Amanojaku. This sealed power is thought to be her Onryō power. As a result of her outstanding kidō capabilities she is referred to as the Mistress of Kidō (輝度の刀自, Kidō no Tōji). Excelling in the use of mastering most of the recorded techniques, she has broaden her usage creating her own type of category of Bakudō. These binding techniques are known as the Camellia Collection (椿集, Chinshū). She has been approached by Shiroyuki Kyōraku daughter of Shunsui Kyōraku to teach her the techniques of the Camellia Collection. Blessed with the ability to create nearly anything she wants the ability wasn't discovered until the middle of the series. Around the same time she placed in the . Kushina was the first to create Zanpakutō outside of , as well as the first to basically create a race of beings. She is noted to being the first to create a life form from literally nothing. Her many and great inventions have all been forged into the history of Soul Society. Kushina gave birth to two girls and three boys, and Sakura Kawahiru, Shingi Kawahiru, and Tsukimaru Tokugawa, . She without a doubt loves her children and will do anything to protect them. Which is evident when she left Shinigi in a Rukongai so that the Central 46 could not find him. Kushina's current whereabouts are entirely unknown. Kushina possesses a great bond with Kamui Kawahiru; her eldest brother. It is later revealed in the story that Kushina laid the foundation of what is known as the Royal Gaurd. Appearance A light-skinned Shinigami, Kushina's complexion follows suit of her mother rather than her father. After getting fit for a dress, it was revealed that she stands at exactly five foot six inches, making her one of the shortest in her family. Her height however doesn't restrict her from standing out. She uses many of her abilities to show the rest of her clan that she is exactly equal as they are. A beauty, rare among the women of her clan, Kushina does't allow her appearance define her. She strongly believes that the appearance of someone is just a way to manipulate their first impressions that they have on you. Even then, with her saying been said, she contradicts herself and keeps herself up quite well. Slim and sexy framed, Kushina is fit to be the mistress of any and every man. Her pupils are a shining light colored deep blue sea quartz, looking sky blue to say the least. Staring into her eyes, is like staring into a future full of eternal wealth. Jewels, gold, and bills alike are what seen through these expensive eyes of Kushina. She bears eyes that any seductress only pray on their knees for. A godly feature that only a few are blessed with. Ninigi and Tsukimaru have both commented that Kushina may be able to kill a man with just a glance of her eyes. Her husband thought that the two were referring to her demonic eye, though they were truly referring to the fact that she can potentially infatuate a man and manipulate them to her liking. Ninigi however also added that Tsukimaru was just an idiot who would fall for such a trick, and those that are like him too are idiots. Her physical appearance is topped off by her golden, free flowing hair. Many have thought that her hair is the equivalent to that of actual gold. Naturally wavy, her hair is thick, nourished, and well taken care of. Many of the young female members of the dojo simply can't pass up asking for the opportunity to play in her hair. As they use their fingers to brush through it, they meet no barricades most call "tangles". Her hair splits over he forehead, and rests alongside her cheek bones. It's length reaches to about her lower back, which a few years back originally reached to ground. Her overall appearance has been compared to many different things. An angel sent by the highest god. A beauty lost in the wrong universe. And finally, the most notorious of all, a goddess. Her sweet and innocent face is said to know no evil. The face of a frail child, that would be lost without proper guidance. Kushina has many different "faces" (appearances) for the occasion set out at hand. Each, beautiful and breath taking in their own way. Kushina sometimes likes to take advantage of her looks to get what she wants. At times of infiltration Kushina would infatuate men so that she could get access to things that outsides normally would never be able to see. By the end of Bleach: Divinity, Kushina removed the eye shadow from around her eyes losing the satanic look she once held and instead of having her bang cover one side of her face, she pushes it completely out of the way. The mole under her eyes rests like a period at the end of a sentence, yet makes her look like a better woman. At a point in her life she dyed her hair red, to resemble the blood at which her opponents shed during battle. Some believe that this story is completely made up as Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto has stated that her hair had become drenched in the blood of her defeating so many opponents. Her elder brother Seireitou Kawahiru agrees with Yamamoto on this theory stated it appeared that exact same way during the war against the Hitorigami, where her golden locks had become bloody locks as her allies and foes's blood splattered in her face leeching into her hair. After devouring the reishi of Kushina began to gain access to Quincy abilities. To fit with this, she changed her attire entirely to fit a Quincy's. Just like the average Quincy uniform, Kushina wears a white fitted, high-collared uniform with the sleeves missing. Instead of having sleeves, the uniform wraps around her bicep area on both arms appearing in the form of a bow. The upper portion of the attire fits like a sports bra, leaving her stomach wide open showing all of her abdomen, or as Kamui describes it "for the world to see". She wears gloves that start near her elbows covering her entire hand. She wears a short skirt which adds on to her revealing uniform, as well as thigh high heels. Personality Around Kushina all one could feel is completely warm-hearted. While Kushina seemingly gave up on trying to keep up with her brothers, she can be a very inspiring person. Most in the Dojo see her as a mother figure, caring for each individual as if they were her own children. She hold the younger children in the dojo closer to her, because as long as they are there, she feels the need to actually be a mother. Some students refer to her as Ms. Kawahiru and others refer to her as Mother. Kushina doesn't care to much for fame and acknowledgement. The young nurse has stated on numerous occasions that it was her who healed someone but her spells. She will help anyone in need, let it be a bum or even a stray dog. This comes from a philosophy she formed; "Every breathing thing in the world should be treated with equality." There is nearly no one within Soul Society that is as kind and shy as Kushina is. During extended conversations, her face would blush up to the point she would be forced to cover her eyes so that she wouldn't have to look into someone's face. She sometimes even finds herself tripping over her words. Ninigi has told her that her shyness and kindness with be her downfall, as most with attempt to take advantage of her. Respectful to most that she speaks to Kushina prefers using honorifics when speaking to others. Namely, she calls Toneri; "Toneri-kun", Seireitou; "Oni-san" or "Sei-sama". She is one that believes respect will get you a long way. Highly reasonable, when compared to her other siblings, Kushina would rather hear you out and bend the rules so that they work in your favor. Kushina is stuck on the intention that nothing is better than love and strong bonds. Despite not having much allegiance with Soul Society, Kushina stood her ground at saying executing Rukia was not the correct way to go about things. While Kushina encourages the students at the Dojo to be strong, she absolutely hates people who claim to be strong without the need of training. This trait most likely comes from the fact she had spent most of her time trying to catch up to her older brothers. Those unwilling to train but still live the thought they are strong, are nothing more than mere brain farts. As she explains to the students. Because of this dislike, she has never-ending bitterness towards those that believe they are the strongest being. After being questioned by Toneri why, she responded, "I can direct them to a person that'll destroy them." On her face she had a warm smile. Kinkaku the "Golden Horn", is renowned moniker bestowed upon Kushina. Prior to become a more subtle woman, Kushina — back in the day — was literally feared by a majority of Soul Society. The Kinkaku title is something that refers to her golden wavy hair and the two horns that would grow from her Onryō lineage. A demon; the title alone bought fear to the people no matter how tough they thought they were. Stories and folktales about the one known as Kinkaku spread throughout Soul Society quickly. They tell the tale of a demon that traveled from the southern area of the Rukongai to the west, north, and eastern areas bringing terror to the people of the areas. This demon would feast on the spirit energy of those it defeated and leave them lifeless. Seireitou and Kamui believe that this demonic personality is not only born from her demon lineage, but also her potential chaos manifesting. History Born a full blooded Sōzōshin to Tsuyuri Kawahiru, Kushina is Tsuyuri's first born daughter. From what is known none of the members of the Kawahiru family grew up together, each either went their separate ways or had been purposely split up. Kushina unlike her other siblings had been born with an overwhelming stronger spiritual pressure. This peeked the interest of Soul King, this was because Kushina had literally been feeding off of the spiritual energy of her brothers and sisters, as well as her father himself. Placing his daughter in isolation for a few years to see how she would develop, Kushina grew extremely sick. To prevent her own death, Kushina formed a barrier by holding the forces of in her hands. Ichibe Hyōsube called the young girl The Creator (みかど, Mikado), while the Soul King referred to her as the God of Creation (誕生の神, Shin no Tanjō). Upon arriving in Soul Society, because she and Seireitou Kawahiru were expunged from the Palace of the Soul King, Kushina had nothing but the garbs of the royal family. She and Seireitou were separated and the young girl wandered the South Rukongai for seventeen hours, where she then cross paths with her eldest brother Kamui Kawahiru. He told her that he'd been looking for her ever since she'd left the Palace and didn't say nor mentioned a single word about Seireitou. She lived in her brother's small cottage within the South Rukongai, where he would leave for hours on hours of the day. One day Kamui returned with what he said was a gift and as Kushina unwrapped it she discovered it was a blade. It was actually an that he snagged from the and he told her that manipulating reishi was not something she should indulge in. He went further to say that she was born by the sword, the two were one. Within a few short months, Kushina had forged her Asauchi into a true Zanpakutō. On a late night there was a loud ruckus within the Rukongai. In her sleep, Kushina could here wails and cries throughout the small town, this was the work of the woman known as Kenpachi. Kushina engaged in combat with Kenpachi, whom is later revealed to be Yachiru Unohana. Yachiru asked the girl to move to the side, yet Kushina stood firm. Yachiru swung her blade at her, and Kushina simply used her hand to swat the swing away... Equipment *'Shinsaitō:' Kushina's Shinsaitō's name is Yamabiko (山彦, Literally meaning: "Mountain Echo"). The blades power is simple, but unexpected to anyone who has never crossed paths with it. As he swings his blade, those that are able to evade the slashes, are still hit. This is because of the special ability of the blade, which allows it to cut the opponent with the left behind forces. Yǎo-Fēng has explained the mechanics of this technique exactly like this: Yamabiko is swung, an opponent evades the attack. Though, because of the left behind force of the swing, the wave of air is still launched at the target, cutting them just as if they were cut by the blade itself. It is made of some unknown material, but after trying to alter it with his control over metals, Kushina found that it isn't made of metal. Inventions Over the course of her life Kushina has invented various things, some at which uses today. Others which have been forgotten or lost.... Objects *'Kidō Crystals:' The Kidō Crystal are crystals which store kidō and upon breaking will activate the stored kidō. This has no limitation of what kidō it can store. Kushina made these crystals to aide Kamui so that he would have to go through the time consuming method of calling out a incantation. Poisons Zanpakutō *'Mayonaka Indō:' Is one of the first Zanpakutō created by Kushina and given to her first Filler. She utilized the Zanpakutō at some point as a captain of the Twelfth Division. This Zanpakutō is a darkness/shadow type Zanpakutō governing over nearly all shadows giving one complete control over them. Kushina gave the Zanpakutō to Kitoichi because it she had acquired everything she needed to know about it.Soloist: Calling the Demon *'Hōkai Shimasu:' Power & Abilities Monumental Spiritual Pressure: As a child born a demon, Kushina possesses a spiritual pressure like no other within both: her race and her clan. At birth her level of spiritual pressure had been taken into great account, as most found his completely unusual for an new born child to possess such reserves. One of the nurses on duty during Kushina's birth had been instructed to place a kido on the young infant, which dealt with suppressing her spiritual pressure. As she grew older, the seal grew weaker and weaker, making appear as if he power had been increasing from her being a weak little girl to her reaching the average level of a shinigami — when in actuality her true power had been increasing as well as releasing. The first display of her demonic power and overwhelming spiritual pressure was in her squabble with , which was later revealed how she achieved the title of Kenpachi, Retsu commented that Kushina's spiritual pressure was something she had never felt before; it was "new". The first Kenpachi went further to explain she was a fit candidate to be a captain of the Gotei 13, specifically the Eleventh Division. Others describe her spiritual pressure as an uneasy feeling. Usually one not to boast, Kushina justified that she could destroy the entire Eleventh Division without breaking a sweat, though after Retsu appeared she fixed her statement into saying Retsu would give her a run for her money. Along the course of the civil war Kushina met face to face with Father himself. He was concerned by that fact that Kushina was completely unaffected by his spiritual pressure. All other Sōzōshin that had stood before him during the war all fell to their feet, yet this measly woman stood without budging one bit. Kushina wears her as a layer of armor, sometimes making the first strike of her opponents completely useless. This powerful and outstanding woman has a special ability which allows her to feed upon the reiatsu of her opponents and salvage it for her own. This is also why she was able to 'create' new Zanpakutō. By releasing her her a sealed portion of her spiritual pressure is also released powering up her abilities as well. The sheer exertion of her spiritual pressure is enough to send chills down even the backs of the other original captains. Kamui stated that Kushina was a blessed child, while Yachiru on the other hand stated she too, just like herself, was a demon at heart. The releasing of her spiritual pressure is enough to knockdown numerous skyscrapers in the World of the Living. After further analysis, Kamui figured that Kushina possessed a type of spirit energy that is connected directly to the Soul King himself with a mixture of their mother's which makes up her Sōzōshin heritage. To keep her outrageous spirit energy in check, Kamui created a gold jewel which comes arcoss her chest and holds her captain haori together. The emotionless Kyouichi Shihōin found himself nearly hesitating in attack Kushina during his attempt to assassinate her and Yachiru. The sheer release of his spiritual power is enough to spread debris over many miles, as well as rip the ground she stands on up into the atmosphere. *'Spirit Energy Manifestation:' The manifestation of Kushina's spirit energy will leaves those exposed drained of all positive emotion. Creating a sense of not being able to win at all. Their determination and motivation is completely stripped from their very grasp. The demonic lineage of the shows itself at this moment striking a great fear into not just her opponents but those within her vicinity as well. Even as a young child the presence of her spiritual energy was extremely heavy. Yachiru gave her kudos for making her drench in sweat even though she was so young. Un-ladylike Strength: While Kushina may appear as a harmless beautiful woman, the strength she possess speaks for itself. She is aware of the fact that there is possibly no woman — with the exception of Retsu — that has the same strength that she does. Even though Seireitou is known as the Fist of the Kawahiru siblings, Kushina still packs quite the punch. Kamui calls her great strength "un-ladylike" going on to finish that no woman should possess the strength that she does. The display of her strength is noted on various occasions, one at which she was able to literally push a full powered aside fired from Toneri Tokugawa during the war. With just her bare hands she is able to block a Zanpakutō swung by a captain whilst having his bankai active. During the Three-Way Deadlock training Kushina's strength drastically increased, Kamui stated this was probably because she had been exposed to their methods of fighting and she possessed the ability to take in from others. : The woman known as The Creator (みかど, Mikado) is a genius at heart, possessing an overwhelming amount of intellect that most would only dream of having. Her brother Kamui Kawahiru has praised her intelligence during a small disagreement between the two. Kushina has a way of battling that would seemingly appear as though she would lose, but in reality be winning. In the battle with Kamui stated that Kushina had a supernatural way of manipulating people using "reverse-reverse psychology". This would make her opponents overthink a situation when in fact they were under-thinking the situation completely. Kamui goes on to state that the fact she doesn't show any type of positive emotion towards it makes it even more effective. Having her as an ally is a great thing, but to have her as a foe may be something to reconsider. Her great tactics and maneuvers are all extensions of her intelligence. Kushina will spend an entire battle setting up a trap, or finding a way to trap her opponents within something she has formed. Innate Abilities Alchemy: Kushina possess two of the oldest Hexagram's known to exist in all of the world, Hexagram number 34, Ta Chaung the hexagram of power. The other hexagrams refer to Ta Chaung as The power of the Great, perseverance furthers. The hexagram points to a time when inner worth mounts with great force and comes to power. But its strength has already passed beyond the median line, hence there is danger that one may rely entirely on one's own power and forget to ask what is right. There is danger too that, being intent on movement, we may not wait for the right time. Therefore the added statement that perseverance furthers. For that is truly great power which does not degenerate into mere force but remains inwardly united with the fundamental principles of right and of justice. When we understand this point namely, that greatness and justice must be indissolubly united we understand the true meaning of all that happens in heaven and on earth. This hexagram finds its way into extremely powerful beings. Ta Chaung has stated that there has only be one, prior to Kushina, that has bared it's symbol. It is the combination of hexagram one and fifty one. Her second hexagram, Hexagram 35 and is named (Jin), "Prospering". This symbol implies that outer trigram of fire. With just the alchemical power granted by her Hexagrams, Kushina gain's access to many different abilities. She has access to; wood, fire, earth, metal and water, being able to control preexisting aspects or completely creating a new one. One must have full comprehension of each property that they wish to control or generate. Kushina, after the discover of her Hexagram had spent endless nights studying each and everyone of those five elements and learning exactly how each one was made up. From the ground, mixing of water and earth, etc. The endless discovery showed up that not a single of the elements were the same, but they all bore a same trait of some sort. Irregular Speed & Master: While there are other beings alive that are faster than Kushina, her overall speed should not be underestimated. Kushina relies on dealing direct damage rather than simple hit and run tactics. Even though this is the case, Kushina's speed can easily take anyone by surprise. Former captain, complimented her agility and speed also adding it could use some work. While in tight binds Kushina uses her slim figure and agility to slip out of situations. When moving the only thing one sees, is the cloak bearing the Kawahiru clan's crest floating in the wind she leaves behind. The female Kawahiru can travel through places completely undetected. Kushina is more than reliable with the ability to chase down fleeing targets and capture them. Her Shunpō is also very impressive as she is capable of covering large distances with simple steps. An opponent attempting to fight at a distance again Kushina is more than trivial, the woman is easily able to close gaps with little to no effort. She tends to combine her overall speed with her capabilities so that she can strike down the opponents she deems weak. Kidō Master — Way of the Magic : Because she'd rather preform spells than opposed to drawing a sword, Kushina during her very early teenage years began to shape her Kidō capabilities. Since Kushina has trained in Kidō for more than one hundred years, she knows and has mastered all three types of Kidō: , , . Her Kidō capabilities allow her to passively fend off against expert Zanjutsu masters to either defeat or stall them. While using Kidō, Ninigi, describes her as second to none. Ninigi also goes on to say that, only one on the calm minded level of Kushina would ever be able to perform spells on the same level at which she can. Her skills exceed most expectations, as even though she wasn't good at Zanjutsu, she was still offered a position as Captain of the Eleventh Division. She can preform very low numbered Kidō with ease, and high numbered ones with slight struggle. While most Shinigami can be nit picky with spells, Kushina believes that every spell ever created is powerful in its own way. A statement that only one of her status could ever pull off saying. Kushina can preform every listed Kidō spell there is, and on her own she has created a few. Kidō is magic, the art of literally creations from thin air. The fact that Kushina utilizes is such a master in Kidō questions her standings as a bearer of the title Kenpachi. In the past Kushina had no discrimination on how much power she would use against her opponents. During the war she utilized her most powerful of Kidō to destroy wooden training dummies. Even against Father; a man whom the Soul King had forbid his children from touch, Kushina unleashed the most devastating Kidō only to be interrupted by her brother. Now as the nurse and instructor of the Tokugawa Dojo, the Kawahiru refrains from using powerful Kidō. Although, when her children get into fights she wastes no time using any level Bakudō to restrain them. Kushina tries to stray away from the general usage of kidō which is just stacking one spell on top of another. Kushina created something known as Kidō Gems, which are gems that hold kidō spells and upon breaking them releases a kidō. These gems are proved quite usefull as they can hold any kidō no matter the level. Because you store kidō within the gems, upon breaking them there is no need for an incantation. This makes using them in the middle of a battle useful. Thanks to this unique invention, Kushina has gained the status of Grandmaster of Kidō. * Hadō: Kushina is able to use every Hadō listen within . :* : A spell that takes the users spiritual energy and condenses it then discharges it from the hands, packs quite the destructive force. The base power of this spell allows one to tear through the skin of a someone. However for Kushina is it something else. With just firing it off of her finger tip, she can make a hole even through an Arrancar's defenses. This is because Kushina possesses a special kind of spiritual energy which is said to link directly to the Soul King. :* : :* Seihi (火聖, Literally meaning; "Sacred Fire"): One of Kushina's very first kidō. This kidō coincides with her ability to manipulate flames, an ability granted by Kagutsuchi. By gathering within her stomach she is able to convert the gathered spirit energy into fire. She then exerts this by spiting it out from her mouth. These flames are violently exerted engulfing anything and completely incinerating whatever is in it's path. Because these flames were made by the user, or in this case Kushina, she can freely manipulate the flames to her liking. * Bakudō: Kushina generally resorts to Bakudō as it allows her to restrain her opponents rather than harm them. :* : By pointing her index and middle finger at a single target or a group of targets, Kushina is able to bind and restrain targets by forcing them to lock their arms behind their back. Sai is one of Kushina's most frequently used Bakudō and Kidō for that matter. Simply because this technique works just fine on the student that reside within the dojo. When the students get rowdy during a class or happen to start an argument among themselves, Kushina resorts to this as crowd control. :* : A double dislocation barrier which erases whatever is within it from existence and removes the space it takes up from an outsider's inner consciousness, making it so one cannot even perceive its presence. The very thought of getting close to it does not even occur to those outside it. It is so powerful and unique in composition, it cannot be undone by Shinigami Kidō. After simply watching Hachigen preform this spell just once, Kushina was able to take it and master it. She has mastered this technique to such a level that she can use it from nearly anywhere within the dojo. As long as she is pointing towards the target, if a wall is separating the two it will not handicap her. Back in the day, Kushina modified the Hachigyō Sōgai greatly so that it had the overall ability to actually disappear from view. :* Akachin (赤椿, Bakudō #50, Literally meaning; "Red Camellia") is the very first Bakudō in Kushina's camellia collection. :* Kurochin (黒椿, Bakudō #60, Literally meaning; "Black Camellia") is the second Bakudō in Kushina's camellia collection. :* Shirochin (白椿, Bakudō #80, Literally meaning; "White Camellia") is the strongest Bakudō in the entire camellia collection. :* Harumon (陽門, Bakudō #101'', Literally meaning; "Sunshine Gate") is Kushina's most powerful Bakudō in her arsenal. Zanjutsu Grandmaster — Sword of the Siblings about the sword.}} A true bearer of the title Kenpachi (剣八), Kushina is considered a demon when swinging the blade. Ever since the day her brother Kamui lifted his Zanpakutō, Kushina did as well. Most of her Zanjutsu training was done by herself having guidance from no one. She practiced swinging her Zanpakutō at a boulder near her home and every time she would make contact with it would give her recoil. Each time it did Kushina would grip the handle of her sealed Zanpakutō even tighter. She would continue to grip her Zanpakutō tight until the palms of her hands would literally bleed. Her brother Kamui was nothing short of a prodigy, his skills overshadowing all of his younger siblings. With these thoughts overwhelming her, she shattered the boulder with great power even creating a crater in the ground. After a while she was able to cut trees down as if she was a chainsaw. Her skills continuously increased as the days went on and she smashed everything in her way. Kushina one day asked her siblings to watch and evaluate her Zanjutsu skills, where she left them all in awe telling them these were all things she'd learned on her own. Kamui acknowledged her self-taught skills telling her to get as good as he was. She possesses the ability to fight with any Zanpakutō. Kinkaku's, Kushina, Zanjutsu skills were greatly first emphasized in her encounter against , the first Kenpachi. The way the woman swung her Zanpakutō excited even Yachiru, who's Zanjutsu abilities, at the time, were unrivaled. Enough to overpower Yachiru and inherit the title of Kenpachi. Kushina was nothing more than a young child when she was able to effectively push Yachiru back. Kushina has shown the ability to resonant with any sword and is able to listen to it though the vibrating sensation they give after clashing with her very own blade. She knows when a blade isn't being used correctly or even when its on the brink of being overused. Additionally, she is also able to determine one's rank in the art of swordplay. These ranks being; novice, expert, master, and grandmaster. There has been one time she classified someone's ranking as something not listed that person being Itsuki Hitomi which she ranked as foolish. This was only to taught and anger him, baiting the man into the trap she and Kamui laid out. The rankings are used to determine the level of worth and sword skill of the one behind the blade. Trivial things such as an Arrancar's mean nothing to her. Cutting through and getting to the tissue of an Arrancar doesn't take more than a single swing. The Quincy's Blut Vene is shown useless and is broken through like plastic. All of the Zanjutsu and techniques taught within the Tokugawa Dojo were all outlined or laid out by overview of her capabilities. Kushina is the genius master mind behind the Soku sword style used by her twin son, Tsukimaru Tokugawa. This combines her crazy speed as well as destructive force into a single fighting style. Kushina devised this style to leave her opponent's no time to think. This was the fighting style that brought Yachiru to her knees, and Kamui insisted this style be taught or offered in the . Her slashes are nearly unpredictable and Kushina has stated because the normal human brain does not provide the correct breakdown and reaction time for one to avoid being hit. Later during the telling of the Great Race Civil War it is revealed that Kushina and her other siblings make up a group known as the Kawahiru Siblings. Each sibling had a title of their own respective to the field of combat they specialized in the most. Kushina was known as the Blade of the Kawahiru Siblings honorary to her abilities. In the history of the Kawahiru Siblings it states, the release of her shikai alone was enough to shake the entirety of the Tokugawa army. On occasions Kushina trains with Kamui on zanjutsu, sticking around to learn the ways her elder brother once fought with his zanpakutō. Kamui believes that even though she sealed most of her power away, the way she utilizes her Zanpakutō will never be something that can simply sealed away. Zanjutsu is an extension of this woman and nothing has the power to separate this. He knows that Kushina is the only Kawahiru to have truly been meant wield a sword. She has displayed the ability to cut through the Cero of an Arrancar with no effort. This extends out to being able to splice through no matter the caster's level of power. Towards the end of the Three-Way Deadlock training Kamui encased Kushina within one of the strongest recorded kidō in Soul Society history. A spell once solely unique to Aizen — , was shattered with just the single swinging of her blade. Kamui, one easily to be considered a god of kidō born with the affinity towards creating spells, yet his hadō was taken down in sheer seconds to just a blade. Kushina even broke Mayuri's zanpakutō with one swing which she stated came from the anger of her inner abilities. Dragon Style Turtle Style Demon Style Zanpakutō — Empress of the Light Amaterasu (天照, Amaterasu, Literally meaning; "Heaven's Illumination"): While not her true Zanpakutō, Amaterasu is the first Zanpakutō she created and decided to keep for herself. Amaterasu is one of the greatest, if not overall, light-based Zanakutō to be both forged and to roam the Soul Society. Amaterasu has the special gift to where it is able to cast illusions with its light. In it's sealed state, Kushina's Zanpakutō take on the form of a ring on her fingers. Toneri, her husband, has stated on numerous occasions that the fact of her Zanpakutō's sealed state being a ring is somewhat inconvenient if she were to ever get into a duel. Kushina counters his statement by saying she has her as a backbone. The rings are made of pure silver, with an ancient inscription engraved in them. As the ring is released to make it glows a bright red color. Even though the sealed form is just a ring, the rings are very sturdy. After a short dispute between her two sons, Tsukimaru and Shingi, the two drew their blades at each other. Kushina stood between the two right before their first clash of swords and was able to block both attacks with just the ring alone. Shikai Shikai: The release command of Amaterasu is "Shine bright and illuminate the heavens" (明るい輝きと天を照らします, Akarui kagayaki to ten o terashimasu). However, since then, she has shortened it to simply "Shine Bright" (明るく輝きます, Akaruku kagayakimasu). After the release command is shouted, Kushina's ring glows bright red and extends outwards. The blade itself is about to Kushina's neck from top to bottom. Many don't understand how she is able to wield such a large sword, however after just a single simple swing all their questioning is put to rest. Towards the end of the hilt is a "tail" made of a lion's mane which was the first spirit of a Zanpakutō Kushina slayed. Unlike most blades which aren't wide, Amaterasu in it's shikai state is very wide, much like , the Zanpakutō of Renji Abarai. The blade is like a two-tone silver bearing a rather unusual guard. Rather than taking on a three dimensional shape like a circle or cross, Amaterasu's guard is a flat two dimensional diamond. Amaterasu has two counterparts; Susanoo and Tsukuyomi. * Shikai Special Abilities: Amaterasu's special ability is the ability to manipulate light within a given area. Light is the basis for literally everything at which we see. Everything we see is caused by light reflected off of objects around the world no matter what the object may be. By manipulating the light, Kushina's Zanpakutō is able to cast illusions onto her opponents forcing them to see whatever she wants them to see. The illusions consist of seeing things differently, to Kushina being able to make things virtually "disappear". She must also use pre-existing light as in her shikai she is unable to create her own light. :*'Kōbō' (灯光芒, Literally meaning; "Beam of Light"): The first technique granted by Amaterasu, a beam of light that is shot with just a single swing of the blade. Bankai Bankai: Shinsei Amaterasu (真正天照, Shinsei Amaterasu, Literally meaning; "True Illumination of Heaven"): To say Shinsei Amaterasu is just a simply upgrade of Amaterasu would be a basic fib. Not only are they different abilities wise, but they drastically change in appearance. Upon calling Bankai, Amaterasu emits an extremely bright light covering the blade completely. As the light fades, it reveals that there are now two blades both at which are held like handles with guards that cover Kushina's knuckles like that of a cutlass. Smoke made of thick dense reiatsu shrouds the two blades. The handle of the blade is extremely large with enough room to stick a head through as Seireitou likes to joke. Which Kushina quickly picked up was one of Seireitou's perverted jokes. :Bankai Special Ability: As stated, Shinsei Amaterasu also gets an improvement on its abilities. In Shikai, Amaterasu can only manipulate the preexisting light in an area, however, as Amaterasu transforms into Shinsei Amaterasu, it gains the ability to actually generate it's own light. Kushina has altered Shinsei Amaterasu in a way that it only generates white light, this removes not only the limitation bound to Amaterasu, but makes it's illusions all the more deadly. Kushina chose the white light because it contains every color in the spectrum therefore making nearly any and every illusion imaginable. The power of Amaterasu was first shown in the battle against . As Mayuri attempted to deduce and breakdown Shinsei Amaterasu's ability to ground zero, she went on to explain for him. She told him the bankai's exact abilities without a single lie. "Well, considering everything we see is just light reflecting off of objects, imagine manipulating surroundings on a mass level, changing the way the light reflects off of them and make someone see something else entirely." That is how she told Mayuri to think of Shinsei Amaterasu's power. During the explanation, she caught Mayuri in one of the illusions in a room that felt devoid of life, when in actuality she held her blade high at his throat. Opponents whom stare at Shinsei Amaterasu's light for too long or those who are stuck in one of its illusions for too long permanently lose their sight. :*'Mishōmei' (身照明, Literally meaning; "Illumination of the Body"): Kushina wraps her body in the light granted by Shinsei Amaterasu and becomes a walking light pillar. Those that make contact with her let it be by their hand or even their blade, will be drawn into an illusion. This technique works great when in melee, being able to slip the technique on and capturing the opponent in an illusion. :*'Kūgekiheya' (空隙部屋, Literally meaning; "Void Room"): Former Abilities & Powers Titles |title=Second Kenpachi |years= ?-Current |after=Third Kenpachi }} Quotes * (During the Great Race Civil War) "To think this war would get to the point of calling on the Kawahiru Siblings.. I can tell you Hitorigami people one thing; you will regret ever having three of the four elements of Shinigami techniques as your opponents. There are no promises that all of you will live after the power of our combined techniques." * (To Glacies Fidus) "Now let me say it in a way which you will understand... Thou shan't obliterate anything within thy district. For thou that obliterates shall disintegrate." * (Retsu to Kushina) "Kushina my dear, there will probably be over a thousand years before the next female Kenpachi appears. In order to continue enjoying a good battle, you consistently 'created' new blades so that with each new opponent that stood before you, would not be able to keep up with your abilities. The day you truly lay down the title of Kenpachi, will be when you lay on your death bed." * (After complete the Three-Way Deadlock training) "The instance the three of us were placed into solitary confined training, I could feel our powers combing and attempting to work together. Now after a week of non-stop fighting no food, no water, no resting, I can feel our powers resonating and working together. Our spirit energies rather than repelling each other, clinging to each other like a set of chains. * (When asked why she never revealed Yeongseo) ''"Do you know, the greatest trick the devil ever pulled? The phenom was that the devil pulled a trick, convincing the world he never existed." * (Kushina to a Soul) "Do not live bowing down, die standing up." * (to Toneri Tokugawa) "I can not stand down. You are the enemy, Tokugawa-san." * (A young Kushina to Retsu) "Hmm... Do not stand down now lady, let me show you the capabilities of a demon." * (To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "My duty as a member of the Royal Guard is to protect the Soul King Palace. Calling me to help with affairs in Soul Society is no longer in my job description." * (To Seireitou and Kamui during training) "I can feel it guys.. all three of our powers latching onto each other." References Category:Sōzōshin Category:Female